Troubles
by UrsulaK
Summary: Yona, Hak and the dragons are captured by Kye sook who is pushing for a trial and their execution. Will they be able to escape? Alternative continuation of the events from chapter 160 and 161.
1. Chapter 1

The evening sky was clear and starry when Lily had been returning from the library. She went slowly looking at the stars. Suddenly she bumped into someone.

'I am so sorry my Lady.' said a young maiden girl. 'I have not been paying attention. Please forgive me.'

'It is my fault as well. I have not been paying attention where I am going,' Lily replied. 'I will help you,' and she started to pick up the clothes that had been lying around.

'Thank you Lady Lily' replied the girl.

'It was really nothing. What is your name? Where are you from?' Lily asked attempting to make the girl clam down.

'I am Ji-yoo from the Earth Tribe,' the girl replied. 'I have come here to serve our benefactor, his Majesty.'

'Your benefactor,' Lily repeated with unhidden astonishment. Did the Earth Tribe have Soo-won in such a high regard for helping them?

'Here,' she told to the girl and gave her the clothes she had helped to gather.

'Thank you Lady Lily.'

'Why did you call Soo-won your benefactor?' Lily asked unable to hide her curiosity.

'He has freed me.'

'Freed you?' Lily repeated still astonished. 'What do you mean? How did he free you?'

'Two years ago I was kidnapped and sent on a ship to be sold as a salve in Kai. His Majesty sent people to Kai to bring us back. Forgive me my Lady for I have to go. I am already late.'

* * *

She could see the old and familiar view of Hiryuu castle popping out from the horizon. The place that was once her home would now be her prison. No – she thought. In a way it was always a prison for her. When her father lived the castle grounds was all she was allowed to see, all that she was familiar with.

'Your Majesty' she could hear Kye sook's voice outside speaking. She didn't care to look outside. She didn't want to see him.

'Princess Yona is inside. I have also gathered evidence of her treason. She needs to be judged and punished accordingly. Not even...' but the voice stopped short by another's she recognized instantly as Soo-won's.

'That's enough,' she could hear Soo-won's voice. Yona could hear Soo-won's voice tinged with impatience. It surprised her. Was he angry? But why? 'We are not going to have a trial now. Go and rest first.'

Several minutes later she found herself locked in a room. She knew it. The rooms were prisons for political adversaries of high enough standing to not be treated like mere commoners. Father told her to avoid this place. She disobeyed him once, but found nothing interesting here and never cared to come again.

Locked and heavily guarded, she could see the room was impossible to escape from. One entrance and two small windows. Looking down from them she saw the moat stretching below. The room was very high and any attempt to get out through these windows would be impossible. To jump from such high would be fatal to the person trying even if the window was large enough to jump from.

Realising that escape would be very hard, she sat down. Would she ever see Hak and the dragons again? She wondered if Hak is all right. She saw him wounded when they tried to escape from the Saika castle. Kye sook giving orders to treat his wounds. Yun and the dragons caught and tied by the advisor. He promised that he would not hurt them, but she didn't feel like she could trust his words.

'What would happen to them? Kye sook told her during the journey that he has gathered evidence to put her on trial for treason. Was he going to put them on trial as well? She desperately tried to think about a way out of this situation, but tired from the mental strain that the last days brought she could thing of nothing.' She could feel her sleepiness overcoming her.

She finally woke up after what seemed to her a very long sleep. She didn't know how long her sleep lasted. The room was dark and silent and through the small windows she could see stars. She remembered suddenly how she used to look at stars with Hak and Soo-won when they were small. The memory seemed so far away now as if the moment when they were together never existed. For a long time she has been wondering why did they fall apart? Why did Soo-won choose to kill her father? Why did he do all of this? Of course, she knew that the country needed a strong leader, but why didn't Soo-won never told anything to her or Hak? What was preventing him? Did he not trust them? Did he not liked them? No, she could tell that Soo-won liked Hak. They were close. Back then in the Water Tribe when dealing with the nadai dealers, she could hear in Soo-won's voice how much he trusted Hak and again when both of them saved Lily from dying. Their bond was close, so why?

Her meditations were broken by the sound of footsteps. Who was it? Why now?

She could hear someone outside telling. 'Open the door.'

Her question was quickly answered when she saw the advisor Kye sook's in the doorway. She turned back her head looking at the starry sky again. She didn't want to come closer to him or betray in any way that she cared about his presence. In the corner of the eye she saw the light from his torch. His presence behind her disturbed her, but she decided not to show it. He stood there for what seemed to her a long while before he broke the silence.

'I have come here to take you to his Majesty'

'What for?' She replied sharply.

'To be judged for treason. You have requested to light the beacon. You have aided foreigners.'

'I have merely wanted to stop bloodshed between Xing and Kouka. There was no need to'

'You are not the one to decided if there was or wasn't a need,' Kye sook answered her. 'You are not the ruler of this kingdom.'

'I know this very well,' Yona replied.

'Then you know also that anyone who goes against the king is a traitor.'

'I don't care if I am going against anyone wishes. I don't happen to care about your and Soo-won's wished. I am the daughter of the King I have as much if not more right to the throne than Soo-won.'

'Just as I thought,' Kye sook replied coldly.

'I don't care what you think,' Yona replied angrily.

'You confess then that you have done it hoping that Xing will help you to take the throne.'

'What are you talking about?' Yona said totally taken aback by Kye sook's words. 'I don't understand what are you saying!'

'You don't. I think you do very well. There is no more need to pretend any more. I have seen through your plan. I have seen through you.'

'What?' The word escaped from Yona's mouth as Kye sook's accusations totally surprised.

'Still playing dumb? You have been going around the country to gather allies and weaken Lord soo-wn's position. You want to take the throne, but this is the end of your game princess Yona. You have lost.'

'I have done everything to help people, I don't care about the throne,' Yona replied angrily, but only Kye sook's laugh replied her.

'To help the people,' he repeated with a distinguishable mockery in his voice. 'Do you take me for a fool?'

'You are a fool for thinking otherwise.'

'Really? I don't think so, but I have no more time to chat with you and listen to your fairy tales. Lord Soo-won is waiting for us. Guards!'

Yona found herself surrounded by four guards with swords. Reluctantly she started to go after Kye sook who was leading them. Two guards where going in front of her and behind Kye sook and two of them were following her.

They were going through corridors and stairs when suddenly they heard two people arguing and shouting at each other.

Yona could hear one of them screaming 'You piece of a shit! Give it back!' and a moment later she saw two drunk guards pummelling each other. The guards in front of her went to stop them.

'This is my chance' Yona thought and turned around and saw by the corner of her eye that the two guards behind her are distracted, their eyes are on the fighting men.

She could hear Kye sook's voice. 'Separate them quickly. We cannot allow his Majesty to wait.'

Quickly she decided to run taking the a flight of stairs that she suspected would lead to the kitchen. She knew that from there she would be able to leave the palace if she managed to escape. She took a deep breath and started to run as quickly as she could.

'Leave this drunk imbeciles, after her' shouted Kye sook when he realised that she is escaping.

Yona has been running as quickly as she could. The months of travelling made her more agile and used to physical exercises, so she found herself before the kitchen's door in no time. The guards were running to catch her and shouting 'Stop the princess.' She opened the door. There were four girls inside the kitchen.

'Stop the princess,' she could still hear the guards shouting after her.

'You are princess Yona.' repeated slowly a wide eyed girl standing in the opposite doorway.

'Please hide me.' Yona panted out while trying to catch breath.


	2. Chapter 2

_Few hours earlier_

Sitting in the library Soo-won was trying to read a report, but he was unable to focus. His thoughts were on the awaiting trial and he could not shake them. What was to be done? Should he kill his friends? He tried to look for other alternatives, but he could not find any. The crime was too grave for anything else than death. Even if other punishment was possible, Kye sook and the guards and the Sky Tribe soldiers who were involved in the coup would not accept anything else. He knew very well they wanted her dead. Yes, there was no other way. He could see that there was no point in prolonging this situation. If a stroke need to fall, it would be better to make it swiftly and without hesitation. The sooner, the better.

* * *

Yona felt herself overpowered and tied behind with a rope. Two strong soldiers were keeping her immobile while the third was tying her hands behind her back.

'Should we tie her legs?' Asked one of the soldiers.

,No,' said Kye sook calmly. 'Tying her hands is enough for now. It will be difficult to go with her anywhere if we do it. However,' and he changed the tone of voice and glared warningly at Yona, 'if she tries something again we will have to make sure she cannot go anywhere.'

'Thank you girls for your help,' said Kye sook turning to the girls who were standing next to him again.

'Is she really the princess Yona?' asked the higher one. 'Is it true?'

'It is,' replied Kye sook to her and both girls looked at each other.

'I have been taking her to His Majesty when she tried to escape. Of course, I will make sure that your help will be rewarded. What is your name?'

'You are too kind master Kye sook. We will do everything for His Majesty. My name is Ji-yoo and my friends Seo-yun, Su-mi and Mi-ja' replied to higher one presenting each girl. 'We will be always grateful for the goodness His Majesty bestow upon us.'

Yona observed the whole scene confused. She didn't understand. Why would these girls help in catching her? Why? She was looking at them stupefied. These questions painted themselves on her face and were noticed by Kye sook's shrewd eyes. He started talking as if she asked him.

'These girls are no friends of yours. You see Princess Yona. I have gathered information on you,' he said the last words in a slow and menacing manner. 'and apparently you know the problem the city of Awa had in the past.'

'Let's go.' he said to the soldiers and Yona felt pushed by one of the soldiers behind who was keeping the end of the rope in his hand.

Forgetting she is tied and not feeling anything Yona replied automatically. 'Kum-Ji?' Of course, she could not forget the first person she killed.

'Yes, Kum-Ji,' answered Kye sook. 'Thank you for confirming that my informants were right. As you know I suppose, Kum-Ji was a governor involved in human trafficking until the pirates of Awa took him down and saved the girls who were kidnapped and kept as prisoners at that time. However, there were still girls that were kidnapped earlier. Lord Soo-won send a group of soldiers and spies to retrieve as many of them as possible. Naturally, it was not possible to save all of them. Some were already dead by that time and we have lost track of many of those who were sold further and taken deep into Kai, but many of the girls could have been saved and were saved. Some of them returned to their homes and families, but there were those who had nowhere to return to. Lord Soo-won proposed that we take them to the palace and give them jobs. Do you understand Princess Yona?' He paused for a moment, turned back and looked at her. 'There are girls in this palace who were kidnapped and sold as slaves during your father's reign.'

'The girls who agreed to come are loyal and deeply grateful. They are often the first ones to report of any suspicious people and movements,' Kye sook stopped, but resumed after. 'I am sure you understand the importance of heaving loyal servants by now,' he stopped for a moment and added 'unlike your father.'

He turned to look at her smirking. Yona tried to keep calm. She didn't want to give him the pleasure seeing that his snarky remark has any effect on him. In this uneasy for her silence, although still preferable to Kye sook's maliciousness, they slowly reached their destination and at the end of long corridor she recognised familiar doors which led to the throne room.

* * *

Lily was rushing to the throne room. How? Why? She heard the information that Yona and others were imprisoned, but she also heard that the trial was supposed to take place tomorrow and now just by coincidence she overheard that the their trial was about to be begin. Why did it start earlier? As she run, she got reminded of the gossip that Mundok was coming. Could it be that Kye sook or Soo-won made it happen earlier on purpose so that he could not participate? Lily had no clear idea in her head what she should do, but she felt strongly that she needed to stop it somehow.

When Lily entered many higher officials were filling the room and Soo-won were already there. She looked for Yona, but she could not see her among the guards. Was she not with them?

The official next to her must have noticed what she is doing and whispered. 'We are waiting for princess Yona. Adviser Kye sook was supposed to come with her, but he is late.'

'Do you think there are problems?' asked another one. 'They say she had a sword with herself when the caught her.'

'So even she went against her father deluded ideas,' replied the first one.

Their conversation was broken by the entrance of Kye sook. The figure of her friend was visible behind him. She could see Yona looking intently at Soo-won.

Kye sook's voice broke the silence 'I apologise Your Majesty. We had small hurdles on the way, but I have come with princess Yona as promised.'

'Thank you adviser Kye sook. Let's begin the trial.'

Kye sook went to Soo-won's left side and started.

'We all know about the beacon lit by Kan Tea-jun. The person who ordered him to lit it was no other than Princess Yona. A beacon that should not have been lit for anything else than to inform His Majesty of an attack on Fire Tribe's borders was used to mislead His Majesty.'

'Do you deny it princess Yona?'

'No,' Yona replied in a calm and strong way.

Kye sook only smiled at this bold declaration. 'I have come here with a witness, but since princess Yona so readily admitted to her treason. I do not believe there is reason to prolong this trial. I can, naturally, still provide them if His Majesty deems it necessary,' Kye sook said while turning to Soo-won.

'This all right Kye sook, let's here if princess Yona has anything to say in her defence?'

'I have done it to stop the war with Xing. I do not believe I have done anything wrong. I would have done the same again if it were needed.'

A murmur of voices went through the room.

'Bold words princess Yona,' said Kye sook and turned towards others on in room. 'As you all can see she is a traitor and she would endanger Kouka to satisfy her fancy. She is dangerous and should be punished accordingly.'

Lily could hear voices supporting these idea.

Soo-won turned to Yona and asked her. 'Is there anything you would like to say?'

'Nothing more.'

'Very well. I find princess Yona guilty of treason, she will be put to death in two weeks.'

'You cannot do it!' words escaped Lily's mouth and she found herself next to Yona in a split of a second. 'You cannot kill her!'

'Lily,' Yona turned surprised by the cry.

'Please calm down miss Lily,' said Kye sook. 'There is no need for a scene.' But Lily paid no attention to him, she looked at Soo-won. She needed to change his mind. 'I will convince him,' said Lily. 'I will save you!' She told the last words while hugging Yona.

* * *

 _Few hours later_

There was no time to lose. Lily asked to speak with Soo-won privately and to her surprise, he agreed. She came to a brightly lit room, where she was welcomed by Soo-won's smiling face. 'Come Lily, I was sure you would come.'


End file.
